Eric Lesser: Proposal for East-West rail study is 'picking up a lot of energy'

Democratic State Sen. Eric Lesser (Longmeadow) has reintroduced his bill to study the expansion of rail service between Springfield and Boston after Gov. Charlie Baker's veto scuttled the proposal last legislative summer.

Twenty-five legislators have signed on as co-sponsors, according to a list provided by Lesser's office, including Republican Sens. Donald Humason of Westfield and Ryan Fattman of Webster.

"It's already picking up a lot of energy," Lesser said in an interview. "It's got pretty broad bipartisan support as well."

Lesser's support for higher speed rail has been one of his staple issues, both on Beacon Hill and during his re-election campaign last fall.

"The timing is important because Union Station is opening imminently and now we need trains to go in and out of it," Lesser said. "Everyone kind of knows that this is an issue whose time has come. We can't continue to lose people in Western Mass and we can't continue to get left out of the growth and opportunity that's happening all around us."

Currently, only one train per day makes the direct trip between Springfield and Boston. A multi-state study last year recommended an expansion to eight trains per day that would cost between $554 million to $660 million, and Lesser has said a more focused study is needed to evaluate the project's benefits for the state.

Lesser penned a letter in January to President Donald Trump, asking him to fund East-West rail as part of his proposed investments in national infrastructure.

"One of the only things it looks like there might be agreement on is infrastructure funding," Lesser said. "There's a potential for federal help as well."

His proposal for a feasibility study passed both chambers of the Massachusetts legislature with broad bipartisan support last year.

But Baker axed the study in July, suggesting instead that the legislature propose a new study that would also examine bus service and other potential ways to improve transit across the state. Legislators never voted to adopt Baker's new language or overturn the veto, so the measure died.

MassLive later reported that Peter Pan bus company owner Peter Picknelly had lobbied against the rail study, and Lesser has since blamed the measure's failure on "special interests."

Asked in October whether Picknelly's email opposing the study had influenced his thinking, Baker said that he believes that it makes sense to consider all transit options rather than focusing on rail service.

"I'm a big believer in multimodal transportation, whether you're talking about bikes or buses or light rail or heavy rail, I think we should look at all options. I think it's a problem when people think there's a single solution to any of these issues," Baker said. "We should be pretty open-minded about what the right means or the right mode is to get people from one place to another."

Lesser has said that benefits of cross-state rail would include easier commutes and more flexibility for where Massachusetts residents choose to live, and help turn Springfield into a more attractive urban center for young professionals.